Tape-dispensing device



Dec: H. A. ADAMS TAP: =DI$PEII$ING DEVICE Filed April 28. 1922;

. avwento'c Harry A. A m

54 354 Ilka/00119440.

Patented Dec. 23, 1924.,

UNITED STATES PATENT @FFICE.

HARRY A. ADAIMS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE \VINNERLABORATORIES, INC, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

TAPE-DISPENSING DEVICE.

Application filed April 28, 1922. Serial No. 557,197.

To (ZZZ 1072 0221 it may concern:

Be it known that I. HARRY A. Annals, a citizen ol the United States,residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inTapeDispensing Devices, of which the following is a vtull, clear, andexact description.

This invention relates to gummed tape dispensing cevices and has for anobject to provide an improved device of this type, the parts ot whichmay be applied to any container in a simple. easy and effective mannerby relatively unskilled persons, the parts of which may be largely madeof stamped or pressed sheet metal, and which is exceedingly compact,convenient, durable, attractive in appearance, inexpensive, and whichwhen applied to a container may have great stability of equilibrium.

it further object is to provide an improved gummed tape dispensingdevice which may be operated by either the fingers or the palm ol thehand to eject any desired length of tape; in which the end of theremaining tape when a part has been torn ofi" is held in position to beejected when the device is manipi'ilated for that purpose and whichaccomplishes these purposes with a n'iinimum number of parts. Otherobjects and advantages will be apparent from the following descriptionof an embodiment of the invention and the novel features will beparticularly pointed out in claims.

In the accompanying drawing,

Fig. 1 is a perspective of a casing to which the tape dispensing devicehas been applied;

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the same;

Fig. 3 is another sectional elevation of the same;

Fig. 4 is a plan of the same with the cover of the casing opening;

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan of the plate.

The tape dispensing device may be applied to any suitable casing orcontainer, and it may be very easily and advantageously applied to metalboxes with hinged covers such as are commonly empl yed for the packingand sale of tobacco and cigars. Many of these casings or containers areattractively and pleasingly ornamented in various manners such as bylithographing, and provide a very inexpensive and attractive base forthe support of the improved dispensing devices. The casing 1, as shown,is a hexahedron provided with a hinged, cover 2. which may be heldclosed in a suitable manner such as by a catch 3. A plate 4- is providedwith apertures 5, arranged in spaced relation thereon. A housing 6,which may he Formed of bent sheet metal, is provided on correspondingedges of two of its opposite faces with lugs "7, which are adapted topass through the apertures 5 in the plate and through suitable apertures5", which may be formed in the cover 2. The lugs 7 may be anchored tothe cover 2 in any suitable manner such as by bending the ends of thelugs against the under face of the cover to clinch them as shown inFigs. 2, 3 and 4t.

11 pair of shafts 8 and 9 pass transversely through the housing and arerotatably mounted in, the side walls thereof, one of the shafts, such as8, having extensions beyond the side walls o1 the housing, upon whichare mounted knurled buttons or discs 10. The shafts 8 and 9 within thehousing carry sleeves l1 and 12 of rubber or other material each havinga suitable friction sur face, the sleeves being in contact with oneanother and each rotatable with its shaft. These sleeves with theirshafts, form rolls which serve as a feeding mechanism for the tape. Thediscs or buttons extend slightly above the upper face or the housing soas to be readily engaged and operated by drawing the palm of the handover the same, while in contact therewith as well as by a manipulationof the fingers.

The interior of the casing is sub-divided by partitions into suitablecompartments A, B, C, and D. The compartment A, which is directly belowthe housing 6 is provided with a curved or inclined wall 13 which, withthe opposite side of the compartment, forms a wedge-shaped pocket inwhich the roll 1 1- of gumlned tape held against expansion whiledecreasing in size. The plate t is provided with an aperture 15 and thecover 2 is provided with an aperture 16 aligned therewith and disposeddirectly over the'compartment A, One end of the strip of tape of theroll H is passed upwardly through the aligned apertures 15 and 16, intothe housing and then between the feed rolls 11 and 12. The aperture 15may be conveniently. formed by striking up from the plate 4, a tongue 17which is curved toward th rolls 11 and 12 from its point of jointurewith the plate so as to form a curved guide, for guiding the tape stripfrom the roll 14: to the feed rolls, without undue friction, binding ortearing. The housing is provided with a slot 18 through which the tapestrip is ejected after passing between the feed rolls. The plate t isalso provided with a struck-up tongue 19, which is curved upwardly intoand through the slot 18 and yieldingly presses the tape against an edgeof the slot of the housing so as to hold the end of the remaining tapeafter a part has been torn off along the slot as a tearing edge, Withinthe slot and against curling within the housing. The tongue 19 alsoguides the tape outwardly when the tape is ejected by the feed rolls.

In the compartment B of the casing, which is immediately adjoining thecompartment A in the direction in which the tape is fed, a water well 20is disposed. This well extends upwardly through an aperture 21 in thecover 2- and a corresponding aligned aper true 22 in the plate 4. Withinthe well a wick 23 is disposed so as to project somewhat above the plate4 and within the path otmovement of the ejected tape. The tape isdisposed in .its compartment sothat it "will be ejected from the housingwith the gummed surface thereof facing downwardly toward the upper endsurface of the wick. its the tape is fed or pulled outwardly and acrossthe wick it may be deflected downwardly or pressed into contact with thewick so that by the moisture of the wick the gummed surface will bemoistened and there by rendered adhesive. The upper or outer end portionof the tongue 19 is curved upwardly so that when the tape is ejected,the tape will be guided upwardly above the end surface of the wick. Atthe same time the tongue will yield and permit pressure of the tapedownwardly into contact with the wick to moisten the gummed surface. Theplate 4 may have a flange 24 along two of its intersecting edges so asto facilitate the positioning of the same upon the rectangularcover ofthe type of box illustrated, but the plate may be provided without thisflange or the flange may be removed when the plate is to be applied tocylindrical or other shapes of boxes.

lt desired, for the purpose of convenience, a ball of twine 25 may bedisposed within the compartment C, of the casing and pass through anaperture 31 of the cover so that the twine may be pulled out in desiredlengths. A suitable tensioning device 26 may be secured to the outerface of the cover such as by clinched lugs 27 which pass throughapertures 28 in the cover. A spring tongue 29 is provided upon thetensioning dei'ice 26 so that ifthe twine is passed between the tongueand body of the tensioning device, it will be frictionally held. Asuitable knife or severing device 32, may also be secured to the outerface of the cover by means of clinched lugs 33 which pass throughapertures 34 in the cover. In the compartment D, a suitable weight 35such as a quantity of small pebbles, shot, or sand, may be disposedwhich provides a weight sufficient to give the container, contents andparts supported thereby, amore stable equilibrium than would beotherwise provided, so that the casing will not be readily upset in use.

The device may be marketed by the sale of the housing 6 and partscarried thereby, the plate l, the well and wick, the tensioning device26 and the cutting device, with the intention that the purchaser shouldapply the same to such casings: or containers-as-they may possess. Thesecasings, may for example, be the highly lithographed or ornainentedmetal boxes in which tobacco or cigars were transported and which wouldotherwise be discarded when the tobacco or cigars were removed or used.In such cases in applying the device to the casing. the plate f isplaced upon the cover through the apertures 5, 15 and 22. The apertures5, l6, and 21 corresponding to the markings ma y then be formed in thecover in a suitable manner. The plate 4 may then be applied to the cover2, the housing 6 placed on the plate with the tongues 7 passing throughthe apertures 5 in the plate 4: and aligned apertures 5 in the cover,after which the tongues 7 may be clinched against the under face of thecover to anchor the plate and housing to the cover effectivelyandfirmly.

The interior of the casing may be divided by suitable partitions intothe compartments A, B, C and D, and the well and wick may be insertedinto the aperture 22 within the compartment 13. On the other hand, theasing or container with the parts attached thereto shown may be marketedas a unit.

i Vhen it is desired to dispense tape from the device, it is merelynecessary to rotate in the proper direction the buttons or discs 10 bymeans of the fingers, or by drawing the 7 palm of the hand over the samewhile in contact therewith, which actions cause a retation of the rolls11 and 12 to draw the tape between the rolls 11 and 12 and eject itthrough the slot 18 of the housing 6. The tci'igi'ie 19 deflects thestrip of tape upwardly so that it may be readily grasped by the fingersof the operator. As the tape is ejected it may be grasped and drawnacross the upper end surface of the wick, which is kept moist by thewater in the well in which it is placed, so that the summed surface willhe moistened as it is dispensed from the de vice. After the desiredlength of tape has been ejected Or withdrawn through the slot til) 18the tape may be torn off along the edge of the slot. The tongue 19 willhold the end of the remaining tape Within a slot 18, and againstcurling, so that any further manipulation of the disc 10 in the samedirection will cause an ejection of the tape through the slot 18.

Both the tape and twine may be dispensed in an exceedingly simple,convenient and effective manner, and the parts may be constructed ofbrass or stamped sheet metal which greatly reduces the cost ofproduction and the assembly.

It will be obvious: that various changes in the details and arrangementsof parts herein described and illustrated for the purpose of explainingthe nature of the invention may be made by those skilled in the artwithin the principle and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a gummed tape device, a casing having a gummed tape containingmagazine and a well, a housing attached to the upper wall of the casing,a pair of shafts extending across and rotatably mounted in said housing,a friction roller on each shaft and in contact with one another, anoperating button carried by one of the shafts and extend ing above thehousing so as to be engageable and operable by the palm of the hand, aguide for feeding the tape from the magazine to and between the frictionrollers, said housing having a slot through which the tape passes overthe well, and means kept moist from the well against which the tape maybe pressed for moistening of the gummed surface while being drawn fromthe housing.

2. In a gummed tape device, a casing having a gummed tape magazine and ahousing carried thereby, means within the housing for feeding the tapetherethrough from the magazine, and means against which the tape may bepressed to moisten its gummed surface upon leaving the housing afterbeing shifted therethrough.

8. In a gummed tape device, a casing having a gummed tape magazine and ahousing carried thereby, means within the housing for feeding the tapetherethrough from the magazine, said means being exposed from the upperface of the housing for manipulation by the palm of the hand, and meansagainst which the tape may be pressed to moisten its gummed surface uponleaving the housing after being passed therethrough.

a. In a gummed tape device for attachment to a casing, a plate havinglug receiving apertures and a tape passage aperture therein, a housingadapted to fit upon the plate and having lugs positioned to pass throughthe lug receiving apertures and the upper wall of the casing foranchoring the housing and plate to the casing by the clinching of thelugs to the casing, and

means within the housing for forcing the tape therethrough from the tapepassage aperture in the plate and the casing.

5. In a gummed tape device for attachment to a casing, a plate havinglug receiving apertures and a tape passage aperture therein, a housingadapted to fit upon the plate and having lugs positioned to pass throughthe lug receiving apertures and the upper wall of the casing foranchoring the housing and plate to the casing by the clinching of thelugs to the casing, and means within the housing for forcing the tapetherethrough from the tape passage aperture in the plate and the casing,said means having an operating button exposed for opera tion by the palmof the hand.

6. In a gummed tape device for attachment to a casing, a tape feedingdevice having depending lugs which are adapted to be passed through andanchored to a casing, said device having means for guiding the tape fromthe casing and feeding it through the device.

'7. In a gummed tape device for attachment to a casing, a tape feedingdevice having depending lugs which are adapted to be passed through andanchored to a casing, said device having means for guiding the tape fromthe casing and feeding it through the device, said means being exposedfor operation by the palm of the hand.

8. In a tape device for attachment to a casing, a plate adapted to beplaced upon a casing and having therein lug receiving apertures and anaperture for the passage of tape from the casing, a housing adapted tofit upon the plate and having lugs spaced in accordance with the lugreceiving apertures whereby the lugs may pass through the plate andcasing wall to anchor the housing and plate thereto, said housing havinga slot at one side through which the tape is discharged, said platehaving a struck out tongue curved upwardly into the slot to direct thetape upwardly when ejected from the housing.

9. In a tape device for attachment to any container, a plate adapted tobe placed upon the casing and having lug receiving apertures, a housingadapted to fit upon the plate and provided with lugs spaced to passthrough the apertures in the plate into anchoring relation with thecontainer for anchoring the housing and plate to the container, and afeeding device carried by the housing for receiving the tape from thecontainer and ejecting it therefrom, said feed ing device having anexposed operating member.

10. In a tape device for attachment to any container, a plate adapted tobe placed upon the casing and having lug receiving aper tures. a housingadapted to fit upon the plate and provided with lugs spaced to passthrough the apertures in the plate into anchoring relation withthecontainer for anchoring the housing and plate to the container, and afeeding device carried by the housing for receiving the tape from thecontainer and ejecting it therefrom, said feeding device having anexposed operating member, said plate having a tongue struck up to forman aperture for the passage of the tape, the tongue being curved to forma guide for the tape While passing to the feeding device.

11. In a tape device for attachment to any container, a plate adapted tobe placed upon the casing and having lug receiving apertures, a housingadapted to fit upon the plate and provided with lugs spaced to passthrough the apertures in the plate into anchoring relation with thecontainer for anchoring the housing and plate to the container and afeeding device carried by the housing for receiving the tape from thecontainer and ejecting it therefrom, said feeding device having anoperating shaft extending through the same from side to side, andoperating buttons on the projecting ends of said shaft Which can ben'ianipul ated by the fingers or the palm of the hand to cause anejection of the tape.

12. In a tape device for attachment to any container, a plate adapted tobe placed upon the casing and having lug receiving apertures, a housingadapted to fit upon the plate and provided with lugs spaced to passthrough the apertures in the plate into anchoring relation with thecontainer for an choring the housing and: plate to the container, a pairof contacting friction rollers rotatably mounted in said housing, one ofthe rollers having an. extension through the housing, an operatingbutton on the projecting end of the extension Which can be manipulatedby the fingers or the palm of the hand to cause an ejection of the tape.

13. In a tape device for attachment to any container, a plate adapted tobe placed upon the casing and having lug receiving apertures, a housingadapted to fit upon the plate and provided with lugs spaced to passthrough the apertures in the plate into anchoring relation with thecontainer for anchoring the housing and plate to the container, and afeeding device carried by the housing for receiving the tape from thecontainer and ejecting it therefrom, said feeding device having anexposed operating member, said housing. having a slot through which thetape is ejected, said plate having a struck-up resilient tongueextending into the slot and curved upwardly at its outer end portion toguide the ejected tape upwardly when ejected and to clamp the tape inthe slot when the outer end istorn off In witness whereof, I hereuntosubscribe my signature.

HARRY A. ADAMS.

